Advise & Dissent: The woman who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in high school has ruled out Monday for testifying at a Senate hearing and is negotiating the terms of her appearance.

Christine Blasey Ford appears to have left open the  possibility that she’s willing to proceed without an FBI investigation before she appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Her lawyer, Debra Katz, wrote to the committee, “She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible, and the committee’s insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event.”

The NY Times reports that Ford’s position appears to have motivated negotiations between her representatives and members of the judiciary committee from both parties. They are talking about timing, security, and the possibility of calling other witnesses.

Judge Kavanaugh stands by his denial. “Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it,” he wrote in a letter released by the White House. “I remain committed to defending my integrity.”

Walled Off: President Trump posted an outraged tweet blaming Congressional Democrats for putting no money for his border wall in the new spending bill. In case he didn’t know, his party is in charge, but he wrote, “I want to know, where is the money for Border Security and the WALL in this ridiculous Spending Bill, and where will it come from after the Midterms? Dems are obstructing Law Enforcement and Border Security. REPUBLICANS MUST FINALLY GET TOUGH!”

Some powerful Republicans oppose building the wall. Texas Sen. John Cornyn said, “People can climb over the wall or go under the wall or through the wall. We’ve seen that in different places.”

Alabama’s Richard Shelby said it’s too expensive. “I’m committed to securing the borders, whatever it takes in this country; it’s something we haven’t done. But I’m also committed to funding the government.”

Sea Power:The NY Times features a story about how China has solidified control of the South China sea, militarizing a huge horseshoe-shaped region with Vietnam on one side and the Philippines on the other. While President Trump fights a trade war with China, the Chinese have placed their military in the watery back yard of several countries.

About a third of all worldwide shipping passes through the South China Sea. In congressional testimony before taking his new post as head of the United States Indo-Pacific Command in May, Adm. Philip Davidson said, “In short, China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States.”

Murder and Mayhem: A woman employed at a Rite Aid distribution center in Maryland showed up for work yesterday, got into an argument, and shot six people with a handgun, killing three. She then shot herself. —  Former rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight, 53, pleaded no contest to manslaughter and faces a possible 28 years in prison. In 2015 he ran over two men with his car after an argument on the set of the movie biopic “Straight Outta Compton.” One of them died. — A 24-year-old Dallas man died of head injuries after falling off a Lime electric scooter, possibly becoming the first person to die using the electric rental scooters that have become popular in cities across the country. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.

Ferry Disaster: At least 100 people are known to have died after a ferry capsized on Lake Victoria, Tanzania, officials say. The death toll may reach 200. The overloaded boat capsized when the crowd of passengers moved to one side as it docked.

The Obit Page: Arthur Mitchell, the first black ballet dancer to become an international star and who later became founding director of the Dance Theater of Harlem, has died at age 84. He danced with the New York City Ballet from 1956 to 1968. The NY Timessaid he “displayed a dazzling presence, superlative artistry and powerful sense of self.”

Straw Poll: In a move to cut back on plastic waste in the environment, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law prohibiting dine-in restaurants from serving drinks with plastic strawsunless the customer asks for one. Why is it that people can drink from a glass at home but they need a straw in a restaurant?

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